


The Crab Lore of Lord Elrond Peredhel

by Pollys_hymnia



Series: Elrond's Encyclopedia of Cryptozoology [2]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Bad middle earth cryptids, Crab pincer attacks, Crablor, Crack, Gen, Magic Crab Rings, Maglor Is A Cryptid, Maglor is a crabman, Sorry Annatar, cryptid, magic rings, not really - Freeform, suspicious crab uncles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-11-08 03:58:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17974034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pollys_hymnia/pseuds/Pollys_hymnia
Summary: Elrond often thinks of his foster-father Maglor and what became of him.  One day while walking along the coast of Lindon he finds out.





	1. Chapter 1

While it is well known that elves who linger too long in middle earth gradually become diminished, there are many other peculiar transformations that remain untold.  Immortals who dwell in mortal lands long enough may meet with strange fates in the end.

Maglor was known to have thrown his Silmaril into the sea.  It is said that ever afterward he haunted the coasts, singing songs of lament.  But what more?  His story does not end there.

I had often journeyed in Lindon and the Grey Havens, hoping I might learn something more of the one who was once as a father to me.  Many long years passed and I heard nothing.  I thought him lost forever, like so many others.

Then, on a time, I journeyed once more westward from my established home of Imladris.  I walked along the shores of the Forlond and found there a curious thing.  A crustacean, or so it appeared, but bearing the device of a Feanorian star on its shell. 

Stooping to pick it up, I felt the fierce bite of its pincer on my finger.  As I inspected it further, it looked up at me with mournful grey eyes.  They were very familiar eyes.

“ _Maglor?”_ I whispered in disbelief.

The crab snapped its claws at me threateningly, and I heard as though in a tiny voice from afar, “ _Elrond_?”

I was still in doubt.  I tucked the ill-tempered creature into my cloak and made my way back to Círdan to consult with him.  This was far beyond my expertise.

 

Setting the creature on a broad table, Círdan and I examined him closely.  No further words did it speak but stilled as we watched.  Not knowing what else to do, we set out a little water for it and let the matter rest for the night.

In the morning we made an extraordinary discovery.  On the table where the crab had been was Maglor.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elrond takes Crablor to Eregion to see if his nephew can help him. Celebrimbor is forced to consult with Annatar in an attempt to restore Maglor to his true form, but all does not go according to plan.

After reassuring myself that it was in fact Maglor who lay on the table and that he was in no distress, I rushed off to find Círdan.

When I brought him back to the room, Maglor was gone and there was only the crab where he had previously lain.  Círdan questioned me at length about what I had seen, and if I had imbibed any unusual substances recently.  I told him I surely had not, and we began again to inspect the crab once more. 

The crab appeared to be sleeping, but I nudged it carefully with my finger.  At last, the creature spoke again, “ _Elrond_.”

Círdan raised his eyebrows in perplexity, “I have never seen nor heard of anything like this.  How he came to be this way, I could not say.  But we may be able to help him.  If this is Maglor and he was able to return to his normal form, perhaps we can find a way to help him maintain it.  I have heard somewhat of the work Celebrimbor has been doing in Eregion, perhaps he can aid his uncle.”

 

With that thought, I undertook the journey to Eregion.  I brought Maglor in his crab-form with me, and he never again transformed into his elf-form during that time.  When I arrived, I brought him before Celebrimbor.  He, like Círdan, initially had his doubts.  However, the crab evidently recognized his nephew and also spoke his name, “ _Tyelperinquar_.”

“Uncle?” Celebrimbor picked up the crab and looked it in the eyes, “It _is_ you.”

The crab did not bite him but rather seemed at peace in his nephew’s hands. 

That was, until he chose that moment to transform back into an elf. 

Celebrimbor toppled backward as Maglor’s size rapidly increased.  Celebrimbor sat up and looked at Maglor.  He knitted his brows together in concern, “You look tired uncle, how did this happen?”

Maglor could not answer but instead fell at once into a swoon.

I helped Celebrimbor to his feet, “The last time this happened, he did not remain in this form long, and then he also fell into a slumber.  I suspect it must be difficult for him not to be a crab.”

Celebrimbor nodded, “Then I will see what I can do for him.”

 

Celebrimbor in secret forged a ring of power.  This was not unusual of course, except for the power that the ring held within it—the power for an elf to refrain from transforming into a crab.  Celebrimbor designed it to fit snugly over Maglor’s crab-claw and its appearance was similar in form to a crab with its claws wrapping around the finger or appendage it was placed over.  In the crab’s eyes were set two small stones of adamant that sparkled with an ever-changing, multi-hued light.  As he slid the ring over the claw, Celebrimbor and I watched with bated breath.  I had truly hoped this would be the solution.

Nothing happened.

Celebrimbor bowed his head and put his hands to his face, pushing a few loose strands of hair and smudges of dirt out of the away, “I will have to try again.” He turned and left the room without another word.

 

I did not see Celebrimbor for several days after that.  I later learned he had consulted with Annatar to see if he could be of any help.  To that end, Celebrimbor brought Annatar before Maglor to see for himself what they were dealing with. 

Annatar now bent down to inspect Maglor closely.  He paid special attention to the star on his shell, and ran his fingers along it, tracing the shape.  Maglor reared back and brandished his claws defensively, waving them threateningly at Annatar. 

“Well, this is interesting,” Annatar began to say, “An elf who has become a crab. And how did that happen?”

I had to admit that no one could explain it.

Annatar continued to examine Maglor, poking and prodding his shell.  He took care to avoid his pincers as much as possible but Maglor did not take kindly to being handled by him.  He pinched every finger he could reach and Annatar eventually gave up his endeavor, “He certainly is ill-tempered.  Considering who he is, maybe it’s best to leave him like this.”

“That is my _uncle_ you’re talking about.”

“So was Celegorm.”

Celebrimbor sighed, “Fair point.”

“Is there anything to be done for him?  Maglor has a good heart and he is also like a father to me.  Please, can you help him?” I already knew in my heart that my plea was of no use.  I did not trust Annatar when he came to Lindon, and I did not trust him now.  Still I had to ask for Maglor’s sake.

“I don’t know, but I will try,” was Annatar’s answer.

 

Celebrimbor and Annatar both withdrew to his forge for several weeks this time.  When they emerged, they brought forth a simple gold ring sized perfectly for a crab.  It was shaped as two crab pincers each clasping the other in an endless circle.

Annatar at first tried to slip the ring around Maglor’s claw, but he failed.  He received several nasty pinches for his efforts.  Celebrimbor took the ring from Annatar who was protectively cradling his hand and nursing his wounds.  Now Celebrimbor carefully placed the ring over one of Maglor’s claws and he did not resist.

Maglor seemed to shrink slightly, then the ring slipped off.

“Well, that wasn’t supposed to happen,” Annatar observed dryly.  Somehow though I had the feeling that this was exactly what he intended to happen.

Celebrimbor looked worried but he took the ring and again fit it around Maglor’s claw.

Maglor’s size lessened once more and the ring slipped off as it had before.

“I’m sorry, I don’t think there’s anything we can do for him,” Annatar said with finality.

I picked Maglor up and examined him closely, “Is he going to be alright, he’s awfully small now.”

Celebrimbor sighed, “I don’t know, I will try again.  In the meantime I think we should make him comfortable and maybe this curse or whatever it is will abate on its own.”

Maglor snapped his claws unhappily again in the direction of Annatar as he departed.

 

I watched over Maglor closely that night and took care to feed him extra vegetables and other scraps of food.  He neither regained his original size nor transformed back into his elf form.  And he remained silent.

 

The next day, Celebrimbor returned with a small box.  He opened it and presented Maglor with a tiny harp specifically designed for his crab claws.  If there were nothing else for him to do, at least Maglor could have his music again.  He used one claw to hold the harp and the other to strum it.  Then we heard a sound that brought joy to our hearts, the faint but clear sound of Maglor singing.

 


End file.
